THE Kangaroo Flat RSL Club will meet with City of Greater Bendigo mayor Peter Cox in the new year to discuss how to protect a line of trees as a memorial to World War One soldiers.
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The club says the meeting is a welcome "olive branch" from the mayor in the face of disagreements with the council over a strip of trees on the Calder Highway between Alder Street and Crusoe Road.
The RSL believes the site should be protected as an Avenue of Honour - a formal World War One memorial where each tree symbolises one of 65 soldiers who enlisted from Kangaroo Flat.
The council says it has done extensive research and found the site does not meet strict criteria for an Avenue of Honour.
RSL secretary Craig Chilver said Cr Cox's offer to meet with the club was an "olive branch" they were "more than willing" to accept.
"It's not about a few trees, it's not about a memorial, it's about remembering the people who didn't come back and remembering the families who lost loved ones," Mr Chilver said.
"I have got no axe to grind with anyone.
"My axe to grind is that some of these blokes are now lying in fields known only to God.
"These people need to be remembered."
Mr Chilver said the RSL club did not want a hostile relationship with the council but instead wanted a "true and meaningful" discussion.
Recently elected as mayor, Cr Cox said he wanted to hear the club's side of the story.
"I haven't been a part of the discussion until now," he said.
"I'm particularly interested to hear their views on the issue.
"Then I'll follow up by talking to others who have been involved."
Cr Cox said he did not want to go over "old ground" but find a "way forward" for all parties.
"I'll do some more research on the matter between now and when I meet with the group and take it a step further from that meeting," he said.
"I have to respect what's already been done."